As a taxi driver, you might observe incidents that nobody else does. We believe it is crucial to equip you with the basic skills and knowledge necessary to identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns.

You must attend a two-hour online training course provided by STC Safeguarding and retake the course every three years. We do not provide or manage this course.

• Find out more about taxi driver’s safeguarding and disability awareness training.

You will need information from the following documents to complete an online application. You will also need to upload these documents for your application to be deemed complete. Photos of documents or scans are acceptable if you cannot attach digital copies, if all the relevant information is clear. You will need:

• a safeguarding course pass certificate from STC, which must show a QR code
• both sides of your driving licence
• proof of your ID, such as your passport or birth or marriage certificate
• proof of your National Insurance number
• a certificate of good conduct, if you have lived abroad for any time in the last five years
• a passport-style photograph taken within the last three months – photos taken on your phone are acceptable if taken against a clear white background with no shadows
• an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate, if you have one that meets our criteria and is registered to the update service
  Submit your application and pay the knowledge test fee on our licensing portal.

Apply for your taxi driver licence

We will confirm your registration by email within two weeks of receiving your submitted application. You will also receive an email confirming your enrolment on the knowledge test from TestReach, who invigilate the test for us. Follow the instructions from TestReach to book a slot for your test.

You must pass the knowledge test before you can progress to the next stage of your application.

You can attempt the test three times – you must pay for each occasion you take the test. If you have not passed within three tries or 12 months, we will remove your details from our system.

Prepare for the knowledge test

The test consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, each with one correct answer and three wrong answers. You must select the answer that you think is correct.

The test is divided into eight sections. The sections are:

• General
• Points of interest
• Numeracy
• Conditions and policy
• The Highway Code
• Signage
• Safeguarding
• Equality and customer service

Questions will include (but not be limited to) topics such as:

• the difference between hackney carriage and private hire
• how to charge fares, by meter or quote
• what you should do with your licence and badge
• how and when you should let us know about any convictions, change of address or accident damage
• seat belt laws [PDF, 25Kb]
• how to assist passengers with luggage
• safeguarding, equality and disability awareness
• customer service

Also, you must state the streets on which various places of interest are located. These places of interest will include (but not be limited to):

• university locations such as colleges, porter’s lodges, sports grounds, libraries and conference centres
• public houses, nightclubs and members’ clubs
• restaurants and takeaways
• theatres and cinemas
• hospitals
• hotels and bed and breakfasts
• sports centres and swimming pools

You will need to be able to demonstrate your knowledge of the statutory obligations and council conditions for taxi drivers. You should study our taxi licensing policy and handbook.

You will also need to demonstrate your knowledge of Cambridge, including the locations that a resident or visitor might want to go to. It is your responsibility to buy maps and use other resources to learn about Cambridge.

Attend the knowledge test

The test takes place online. You must show the invigilator your photo ID. If you do not, the test will be cancelled – you will not be refunded, and you will need to book another test.

You must also show the invigilator the room where you will be completing your test. They will ask to see your desk area to ensure you do not have notes or your phone with you.

You will be allowed a maximum of two hours to complete the test. You must score 80% in each section to pass. You will be told the result at the end of your test.

Your result will be available immediately after you finish the test. You can find it on the TestReach system homepage, in a PDF.

Upload the results of your knowledge test on the online portal using the ‘additional actions’ box in the ‘online licence submissions’ area on the ‘licensing home’ screen. Select ‘files’ from the drop-down list on the right of your submitted application.

We do not issue refunds if you miss your appointment or fail the test, or if you do not pass the test within a year.

Retaking the test

If you fail the knowledge test, upload your results on the online portal using the ‘additional actions’ box in the ‘online licence submissions’ area on the ‘licensing home’ screen. Select ‘files’ from the drop-down list on the right of your submitted application. When we have reviewed your results, you will receive an email requesting payment for your second or third attempt.

When you have paid, we will allocate your next attempt to take the knowledge test.

Cancelling and rescheduling the test

If you tell us at least seven working days in advance that you need to cancel your test, we will refund the fee or reschedule the test.

We will not refund you if you give us less than seven working days’ notice.

If you do not attend your test and have not given us seven days’ notice, we will treat it as one of your three permitted attempts.

System requirements

TestReach, the company that runs the test for us, suggests you take the test on a device that meets the following requirements:

• a laptop or computer running Windows 7+ or Mac OS 10.10+
• Intel Core i3 (or equivalent)
• a working webcam, microphone and speakers
• internet speed of at least 2Mbps
• a screen size of at least 13″ and a resolution of 1024 x 768

When we have confirmed that you have passed the knowledge test, you will need to submit further documents to the portal and pay the fees associated with the DBS appointment and a driving licence check. You must provide:

• your right to work share code, if you are not a British or Irish citizen. We cannot accept biometric residence cards
• your tax share code if you currently hold a licence with another licensing authority
• two proofs of your address, such as:
  • a mortgage statement issued in the last 12 months
  • a bank or building society account or credit card statement
  • a letter confirming the opening of your current bank or building society account
  • a financial statement for a pension or similar issued in the last 12 months
  • a P45 or P60 statement issued in the last 12 months
  • a Council Tax bill issued in the last 12 months
  • a utility bill
  • a benefit statement
  • a document from central or local government

Photos or scans are acceptable if you cannot attach digital copies of these documents.

We will contact you to request documents and payment via the online portal.

You must attend the meeting in person, regardless of whether you already hold an enhanced DBS certificate. We need to check your identity and carry out in-person checks.

Before your appointment, you must pay for the DBS (if applicable) and a driving licence check. Read more about this below.

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) will carry out a range of checks on your application information. These checks will determine whether you are 'fit and proper' to hold a taxi driver’s licence. It can take up to eight weeks to receive your DBS certificate.

You must bring the original, official versions of:

• your driving licence
• proof of your ID, such as your passport or birth or marriage certificate
• proof of your National Insurance number
• a certificate of good conduct, if you have lived abroad for any time in the last five years
• two proofs of your address, such as a utility bill or a bank or mortgage statement from the last three months. You can show these in an app on your phone
• your enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate, if you have one

Subscribe to the Disclosure and Barring Service update service

You must also subscribe to the DBS update service. The service allows you to keep your certificate up to date, and employers to check your certificate.

If you’re applying for the first time, you’ll need your DBS application form number, which we will give you at the appointment – you must do this within 28 days of completing your application.

You can also use your DBS certificate number – you must do this within 30 days of it being issued.

When your subscription is confirmed, make a note of your unique ID number and keep it secure. Keep the DBS certificate safe. You will also need to provide a confirmation of your subscription as part of step 8 of your application.

Driving licence checks

We check that all taxi drivers are licensed to drive every year. We use a company called Licence Bureau (part of TTC Continuum) to work with the DVLA on our behalf. They are fully compliant with GDPR.

• Licence Bureau privacy policy

We will register you with Licence Bureau, who will send you an email from noreply@ttc-uk.com. You must respond to this email to complete your registration. Contact TTC Continuum if you have any technical issues with registering.

You must pass a taxi driver test with one of the following providers:

• AA DriveTech – email tellmemore@drivetech.co.uk
• Blue Lamp Trust
• Diamond Advanced Drivers
• Green Penny
• Mann Fleet Solutions – email mannfleetsolutions@mail.com

You are responsible for arranging the test, and for providing your own vehicle to take the test in. Contact the test provider to check the cost.

When you have passed the test, you will need to provide the certificate as part of stage 8 of your application. We will only accept certificates dated within the last 12 months.

You must arrange to have a Group II Medical Assessment. You can do this with your own doctor or one of our approved doctors.

A fee will apply for the assessment. Contact the medical practice to check the cost.

• Find out more about the taxi driver’s medical certificate.

When you have completed all the previous steps, upload the following documents to the online portal:

• your DBS certificate
• proof of registration to the DBS update service
• your taxi driver’s test certificate
• your Group II medical certificate and full D4 report, dated within the last eight weeks

If you are or have previously been a licensed driver with another local authority, we will contact them to request disclosure of personal information under the Data Protection Act 2018.

Will we then assess your application. If you are deemed ‘fit and proper’ we will notify you to pay the licence fee. We will post your licence to you within 10 working days.

When your licence is granted, you must register for self-assessment with HMRC. We will ask you to provide a tax share code every time you renew your licence.